Govt attaches importance to resolution of energy issue: Shaikh

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh on Thursday informed a team of Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FoDP) that the government attached tremendous importance to the resolution of energy issue as it was related to the country's security and democratic set-up.

"With coordinated efforts of line ministries, the government has formulated an energy sector recovery programme," Shaikh told the ambassadors of the United States, Germany and Japan and High Commissioner of the United Kingdom, members of FoDP, who called on him here.

Shaikh was of the view that in a broader sense certain aspect of the energy issue was related to economy and social development and ultimately to the democratic set-up in Pakistan.

He also apprised the FoDP team of economic reforms in the realm of macro-economic stability framework, with main focus on the energy sector recovery programme.

The Finance Minister said that the FoDP should focus on terrorism which was hampering the economic development of country.

He apprised the diplomats of the steps taken by the government for increasing the pace of development in Balochistan, including doubling of funds, allocation of more resources and recruitment of youth in the public sector organizations and government departments. He also highlighted that work on implementation of educational programme was in progress.

To keep a perpetual liaison between the diplomats of FoDP countries based in Islamabad, the meeting concluded on the formation of a committee comprising representatives of ministries of Commerce, Water & Power, Foreign Affairs and Economic Affairs Division and Planning Commission.

This committee would review the progress and achievements and status of the implementation of reports.

According to a Finance Ministry statement, the ambassadors of FoDP countries and the Finance Minister were unanimous about the nature of FODP as a political forum not a donor club having any economic agenda.

The statement said measures to strengthen bonds of cooperation between FODP and democratic Pakistan were discussed in the meeting. The diplomats noted that a strong Pakistan meant a democratic Pakistan.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011